Concutitur: flet, si lacrymas aspexit amici: Et, quoniam cœpit Græcorum mentio, transi Non est Romano cuiquam locus hîc, ubi regnat Limine submoveor; perierunt tempora longi 100 105 110 99. Non sumus pares] We are not a match.-Melior] He is the better man. 101. A facie jactare manus] To throw up the hands, as if in a transport of admiration. 102. Transi Gymnasia] "Pass from the common herd, go to the schools, take a view of their philosophers, and hear what one of their chiefs was guilty of." M. 103. Facinus majoris abolla] This may mean either "a crime of deeper dye" (according to the Scholiast), or "a crime of the philosophic robe.”—Abolla was a sort of cloak, worn by soldiers, and also by philosophers. The abolla of the soldiers was less than the other, and called minor abolla; that of the philosopher, being larger, was called major abolla. Juvenal also uses the word abolla (Sat. iv. 75.) for a senator's robe. M. 104. Stoicus] P. Egnatius, who informed against Barcas Soranus in the reign of Nero; as mentioned by Tacitus, Ann. xvi. 32. 105. Ripá in illa] On the bank of the Cydnus in Asia Minor, where stood the city of Tarsus; so called, because a wing (rapoos, pinna) is here said to have dropt off from Pegasus, the flying horse who sprang from the blood of the Gorgon Medusa (Gorgonei). The poet calls him caballi, a hack, to ridicule the fable, or rather the Greeks who invented it. 108. Protogenes, &c.] Common names of Greeks. 109. Vitio] Selfishness. 110. In aurem] Amici vel patroni, understood. 112. Submoveor] "To be driven away with disgrace:" a strong 115 Servitii nusquam minor est jactura clientis. expression taken from the lictor's office. I, lictor, submove turbam, et da viam domino. Liv. Non enim gazæ neque consularis submovet lictor miseros tumultus mentis. Hor. 0.-Perierunt] Pro nihilo habentur, oblivioni traduntur. Marshall. 113. Jactura] Properly, the throwing of goods overboard at sea. A strong expression for the casting-off of a client.-Nusquam minor est] Is no where more unceremonious, or thought more lightly of by a patron, than at Rome, where there are so many sycophants ready to fill up the vacancy. 114. Quod officium, &c.] What service is there here, for the poor man to confer on the rich? What merit to claim, beyond that of attending the morning levee of his patron?—Ne nobis blandiar] Ut verum dicam. R. 115. Nocte] Before day-break, when the great men at Rome held their levees. Togatus] Full-dressed, with his toga on. 116. Cùm Prætor, &c.] When even the Prætor (chief magistrate of the city), in haste to get to the levee of some rich and childless old lady, abandons his solemn pace of state and procession, commands his lictors (the officers who marched before him with the fasces) to run as fast as they can, and scampers after them himself,-unmindful of his dignity, and caring only for the legacy he is in chase of. 117. Orbis] The childless old ladies, Albina and Modia.-Dudum vigilantibus] The childless matrons are long since awake, And for affronts the tardy visits take.-DRYden. 119. Hospes Numinis Idai] When the statue of Cybele was brought from Mount Ida, the oracle directed that it should be placed under the roof of the most virtuous man at Rome, till a temple could be built for it. Scipio Nasica was unanimously nominated by the Senate, as most worthy to be the host of the Goddess. 120. Qui Servavit, &c.] L. Metellus, Pontifex Max., who, when the temple of Vesta was on fire, ventured his life to rescue the Palladium or image of Minerva, poetically represented as trembling at the danger. He lost his eye-sight by this pious act. Servavit trepidam flagranti ex æde Minervam; Quæstio :) "Quot pascit servos? quot possidet agri 130 Quàm quòd ridiculos homines facit. "Exeat, (inquit,) 135 "Si pudor est, et de pulvino surgat equestri, Cujus res legi non sufficit:"-et sedeant hîc 126. Samothracum] Deorum, understood. Licèt jures per Deos et peregrinos et Romanos. R. Samothrace was an island in the northern part of the Ægean, famous for religious rites. 128. Diis ignoscentibus ipsis] As considering him too insignificant an object for their wrath. 129. Quid] See on v. 86. 130. Hic idem] Pauper. 131. Sordidula] Shabby. 133. Non una] Plurima. Cicatrix] The poet's language is here metaphorical; he humorously, by vulnere, the wound, means the rupture of the shoe; by cicatrix, (which is, literally, a scar,) the awkward seam on the patch of the cobbled shoe, which exhibited to view the coarse thread in the new-made stitches. M. 136. De pulvino equestri] L. Otho, a tribune, had enacted a law, that the fourteen rows of benches in the theatre next to those of the Senators should be reserved for the knights, or at least for those who possessed a knight's income (400 sestertia or 3,2001.). This was for a long time bitterly resented by the plebeians, and is, therefore, well introduced as another grievance of the poor. Juvenal represents the box-keeper, or overseer of the theatre, roughly turning out some poor man, who had smuggled himself into a comfortable place on one of the cushioned equestrian benches. 137. Et sedeant hic] The poet here resumes with indignant sar casm. Juv. Sat. C Lenonum pueri quocunque in fornice nati! Quis gener hîc placuit censu minor, atque puellæ HAUD facilè emergunt, quorum virtutibus obstat Pars magna Italiæ est (si verum admittimus) in quâ 140 145. 150 140. Pinnirapi] The Pinnirapus was a gladiator who fought with a net and spear; (so called, from pinna, a crest or fin, and rapio ;) because it was his object to throw the net over the helmet of his adversary, which usually bore a fish for its crest. The Pinnirapus was also called Retiarius, from his net; and his adversary, Mirmillo, or Secutor. See more, on Sat. viii. 200. 144. Edilibus] The Ediles were the lowest magistrates of Rome, whose office was to inspect the repairs of the public buildings, and to regulate the markets. 145. Olim] Jamdudum, jampridem. M.-Migrasse] Alluding to the famous secession of the plebeians to Mons Sacer, in the early times of the Republic. 146. Emergunt] Surgunt ex obscuro ad opes et dignitates. M. -Obstat] Deprimit Slow rises Worth, by Poverty deprest.-DR. JOHNSON. 147. Res domi] Res familiaris; fortune, property, means. 148. Magno] Pretio constat, understood. 149. Servorum ventres] Cibaria servorum. 150. Quod turpe negavit] h. e. negare solet (aopioтws). R. However ashamed we may be, at Rome, to use earthenware at table, yet if any one should suddenly be removed into the country, among the Marsi and Sabines (ancient and simple tribes of Italy), he would not think it disgraceful; and, moreover, would there be content with plain and homely clothing. 152. Veneto] Dyed in blue-a colour said to be first used by the Venetian fishermen. Nemo togam sumit nisi mortuus; ipsa dierum 155 160 Hic ultrà vires habitus nitor: hic aliquid plus, Quam satis est; interdum alienâ sumitur arcâ. Commune id vitium est: hîc vivimus ambitiosâ Paupertate omnes : quid te moror? OMNIA Romæ 165 154. Nemo togam sumit nisi mortuus] It was customary to carry out the corpse full-dressed, to the funeral pile.-The toga was indispensable, at Rome, to all who wished to make a decent appearance; and was a serious article of expense to persons of limited means. Although universally worn, it seems to have been universally exclaimed against, as a burdensome dress, imposed by the tyranny of Fashion ;-" ibi nulla necessitas toga" is mentioned by Pliny, as one of the recommendations of the country; and Juvenal, in Sat. xi. 194., speaks of an escape from the toga, as a material ingredient of comfort. 155. Colitur] Celebratur. P.-Herboso theatro] A rustic theatre built of turf.-Verba siquando et tandem redit ad infrequentiam ludorum spectant: R. 157. Persona pallentis hiatum] The ancient actors always wore masks, with a mouth very wide open, that the voice might not be impeded. This gave them a terrific appearance. 160. Orchestram] Ab opxequal, salto.-The orchestra, among the Greeks, was in the middle of the theatre, where the Chorus danced; but among the Romans, it was the space between the stage and the common seats, where the nobles and senators sat. M. 162. Hic] Romæ.-Vires] Opes, facultates. 163. Aliená sumitur arca] By borrowing, by defrauding, by dishonestly evading the payment of tradesmen, &c. Wherever there is a desire for the Aliquid plus quam satis est, it is difficult to preserve strict integrity of principle. So wise and needful is that divine precept, "THOU SHALT NOT COVET." 164. Ambitiosa Paupertate] Ambitious of appearing what we are not, of living like men of fortune, and thus disguising our real situation from the world. M. Of all states, the most miserable and contemptible! 165. Quid te moror?] Ut verbo dicam. Marshall" in short, |